Mode 1 or Mode 2

[ChanHS]

Hi,
Am new to this hobby and will like to ask which mode is easier to use.

Thanks

[BarracudaHockey]

Hi,
Am new to this hobby and will like to ask which mode is easier to use.

Thanks

Flying helis is much simpler on Mode2

[Weetobix]

Pretty much every transmitter you will find will be mode 2.
And as Mr Hocky says, it's much easier and feels more natural on mode 2

[ChanHS]

Thanks for the advice
Will go get a G3.5 with Mode 2

[Jermo]

I fly mode 2 but personally I notice you are in Singapore. What do other chopper pilots fly in your area? You might want to fly what is most common in your area. Just an idea. Easier to get help when everyone is on the same thing.

[whtmex]

I agree with Jermo. I think Mode 1 is primarily a European thing anyway. But fly what's common in your area. Although personally, I think Mode 1 is horrible for helis. Maybe it's just from working on real helis, but collective and yaw just naturally go hand in hand. I can't imagine trying to control a heli with roll tied to the same stick as my collective control.

[brunobl]

I can't imagine trying to control a heli with roll tied to the same stick as my collective control.

Yep, not to mention splitting the cyclic control between two different hands. Seems read odd to me.
OTOH maybe they think mode 2 is strange? I wonder if after learning it that way they'd think that cyclic fore/aft *and* cyclic lateral controls are too much for just one hand? I do realize that mode 3 just swaps left/right hands with no splitting of controls.

Any mode 1/3/4 users out there? What is your take on this?

[patrickvdb]

I just started with heli flying and was flying planes before. I also had the ailerons on the left stick togeter with the throttle and the elevator on the left side.

When I started flying a heli (just a few weeks ago now), I said, I'd better change it to the mode-2 standard. Which for learning the heli was not a real problem.

I changed my planes to also sue the mode-2 and I didn't take to much to get familiar with it.
So switching to mode-2 for planes is rather easy (my opion). Staying in mode-1 with heli did not seam like a good idea

[brunobl]

Hi Patrick,

I changed my planes to also sue the mode-2 and I didn't take to much to get familiar with it.
So switching to mode-2 for planes is rather easy (my opion). Staying in mode-1 with heli did not seam like a good idea

Nice to know you converted without problems. The one trouble that you may face (I take it that you are fairly recent with helis) is that if most people in your area are flying mode 1, then your heli will seem odd to them, making it difficult for others to help if they need to fly your machine. But if that is not a problem for you, then you are all set.

In 1976 I got a German RC system (a Simprop SSM Contest, what an amazing radio!) and it was mode 1.
I opened it and converted to mode 2 even before flying my first plane.

Good luck with your heli flying!

[Lucky_Luke]

I agree with Jermo. I think Mode 1 is primarily a European thing anyway. But fly what's common in your area. Although personally, I think Mode 1 is horrible for helis. Maybe it's just from working on real helis, but collective and yaw just naturally go hand in hand. I can't imagine trying to control a heli with roll tied to the same stick as my collective control.
Hmm I've now bee reading several times on different webpages that the mode 1 is an european thing... i beg the differ, i'm fairly new to this Heli thing anddid not know about this Mode 1 or Mode 2 thing. i purchased my Honey Bee CP2 with a Mode 2 setting as this was the most natural thing.... I agree with whtmx Collective and Yaw goes natrually together as the second must be adjusted as a consecuence of the first :wink:

Just my two cents

BR
Morten

[BarracudaHockey]

The reasoning behind it AFAIK is the pattern guys like it because it reduces interaction between aileron and elevator which would loose them points. Most of them now just use ungodly tight springs.

[Weetobix]

I agree with Jermo. I think Mode 1 is primarily a European thing anyway.


Living in the UK, I've not seen anyone flying on Mode 1 - Mode 2 is standard here, but I've heard we're meant to prefer Mode 1 :)

[Aussie Bob]

It seems to be mostly mode 1 here in Australia.

[Snarf]

When I started out flying radio controlled models - more years ago than I care to admit - my first radio was two channel with two single axis sticks. That was enough to handle the primary attitude of the gliders I was flying (rudder and elevator) but did result in splitting attitude control across both hands (kind of mode 1). When I could afford a four-channel set I changed over to mode 2 and used throttle on the left stick for the air-brakes. Some of the guys in my club stayed with mode-1 though.

I can't imagine me flying a heli except with mode-2. It seems completely natural to map the right stick to control of the rotor disc position (and it's how the big ones are flown too of course)

Just my few pence (cents?) worth from here in the UK

[rshadwell]

in my humble opinion, it all depends on where you are from as to what feels natural. whatever you learn on will feel, natural. I was born in england but fly in the US.

[CT4]

OK I'm old enough to answer the mode 1 or 2 question. The first radio was a unit called a Galloping Ghost. It ran off a 90 volt dry cell battery. The servo was powered by a rubber band and had a 4 position pawl activated with a solenoid. The TX had 1 button each time you pressed it the solenoid released the pawl the rubber band turned it to the next stop point. This action was then harnessed through a lever to move the rudder to the left. Press the button again and the servo/rudder returned to neutral. Press again you move to the right and again then back to neutral, tough if you needed right and the next press gave you left! Cant take a joke shouldn't have joined.
The mark 2 had 2 buttons right side for rudder and left side for elevator. It still worked on the cycle principal. It was fitted to large free flight models and sort of gave you the delusion that you were in control.
Next came proportional control again 2 channel same set up, and then 4 channel with the gimbals that we know today. The primary controls were never changed to a "single stick" aka Mode 2 as everyone was used to flying "split stick". This was all started in England and that is why most of the English flyers are still on Mode 1. So now you know!

[Mercuriell]

I flew planks Mode 2 in UK - fly full size as a serious amateur and now fly helis in Mode 1 in Australia. Conceptually I agree with Mode 2 lumping cyclic on 1 stick but another consideration is whether you are left or right handed - to me collective is the most difficult to get right is and constantly varying - as such it feels good to me to have on my dominant right hand in Mode 1

What do people think of the relative importance of controls ?

My pecking order would be 1) Collective 2) Lateral cyclic 3) Fore/aft cyclic 4) Rudder - so Mode 1 puts 1) & 2) on my dominant right thumb!

[wlfk]

I've only been flying for a few months, and I started in mode 2. I thought it would be more intuitive, but was surprised to find that in moments of panic I actually made mode-1 movements (even though I've never flown before).

But the most important factor of mode-2 is that you can abandon the tail/throttle stick for a second or two to swat flys or scratch your nose. Impossible with a mode-1 setup!

K